What is your name?
Bri Schillings
What is your genre of music?
Alternative, sensual indie
Give us a little bio about you.
Finding inspiration from life, adversity, love and nature, Schillings’ seductive and powerful voice will hold you in a warm embrace and take you on a journey where the heart and the soul meet. “I write about things I feel strongly about. Real stories. Real narratives. Songs with spirit in them. Songs with solutions, songs with questions. I see the power music has to influence and bring attention to current events and create movements.”
What made you go into music?
Music got into me and I was lucky to have the freedom to explore myself at a young age and discover where I felt an invitation to move towards my curiosities and what fed my soul. I found I could touch any instrument and know how to play it, prior to any musical training. I found my medium for expression.
Who are your influences?
I grew up listening and singing along to late 60’s and 70’s folk artists-
Simon and Garfunkel, Natalie Merchant, Tracy Chapman, Cat Stevens, Joan Baez & Judy Collins.
And 90’s Alternative artists-
The Cranberries, Sarah McLachlan,Tori amos, Fiona Apple, Coldplay, Mazzy Star, Enya, Ben Harper, Sia
Recent inspirations-Foy Vance, Jason Isabell,Gregory Alan Isakov, KALEO, The Killers, The National, Florence + The Machine, Flora Cash, Lana del Rey, First aid kit
I have a deep love for Composers and Pianists- Philip Glass, Max Richter, Hans Zimmer
Are you a signed?
No. I’m opened to offers.
You released your new single ‘Ignorance Is Violence’, tell us more about the single and the meaning behind the song.
A thought-provoking, hopeful anthem that inspires change.
It’s a call to action for all of us to recognize the harm that our ignorance has caused to our planet, and work to overcome it.
Written after witnessing the devastating wildfires in California, experiencing first hand the hottest summer recorded, breathing smoke from the fires, we felt a weight of frustration and recognized our responsibility to take a stand.
It’s time we take responsibility for our actions and work together to preserve our environment. Every aspect of our lives is intimately tied to the health of our planet, everything we do has an impact on the environment, and that our actions can have long-lasting effects that are felt across generations
Describe the track in two words.
Thought Provoking
What was the writing and recording process like?
Summer, 2021, my partner and I spent three months travelling the western United States in our van, witnessing first hand, the effects of global warming. Fires engulfed the Pacific northwest, temperatures reached all-time highs as smoke filled the air and followed us along our travels, spreading from Oregon all the way to South Dakota. We didn’t see a blue sky for two months, we were devastated and greatly impacted by the reality of how our ignorance over the past century had created the situation we are in. My partner and I wrote this song in a day, while staying at Glacier National Park in Washington, under a sky of smoke, the words and melody just rolled out as I sat, strumming my guitar. I recorded at 4th street studios in Santa Monica. Living in San Diego, I would ride the Amtrak train to LA at 6:30am and hit the studio around 11:30. I liked having the time on the train to relax and prepare for the recording session without the stress of driving in traffic. I have the best team! Chad and Micheal, my producers are like family. I love the process of building the song in the studio, hearing the layers unfold. I couldn’t be more pleased with the production of this song. The song drives, reflecting the urgency of the matter and then opens up with the haunting
Who did you work with on the single?
My partner, Brandon Sudweeks was a cowritter and played a large part in initiating the concept and idea. Chad Shlosser & Micheal Johnson produced and played guitar and drums on the track. It also features Adam MacDougall on hammond.
We also see a music video for ‘Ignorance Is Violence’, tell us the meaning behind the visuals and what the creative process was like and who you worked with.
This is a powerful song, the lyrics say it all. I wanted to work with someone who had an edge and an eye for abstract interpretation. Christopher Hoffee is an incredible musician and photographer here in San Diego. I worked with him on my first album “Me is Better with We”. He produced and designed the album cover. Chris is one of the most raw ,honest and insightful humans I know, everything I wanted this video to encompass.
Conceptualising over a cup of Chris’s famous “Hoffee Coffee”, as light from the windows illuminated the abstract mirror hanging at the end of his hallway, an invitation to do the shoot at his house. We captured raw footage of me singing the whole song all the way through against a white wall, two different angles and captured the same shot through the hallway mirror. The images I chose reflect the current effects of climate change. Bleached reefs, pollution, the plastic pollution in our oceans, heat waves, fires, melting glaciers and the children, representing the children’s voices through the chorus. This video was a joy to make and collaborating with Chris is always inspiring.
Will we see an EP or album and if so, what can we expect from it?
I plan to wrap up this year with two Albums. I love to dance and have always imagined releasing remixed versions of my songs. One full Album will be of all the songs that have been released this past year and the second Album will be Remixes of the songs released this year.
Do you have any live shows coming up?
I really enjoy “Listening room” environments for concerts. Where I can have an intimate exchange with the audience and the audience with me. September 30th, I’ll be performing for the third year in a row at Meshell’s Speakeasy, overlooking the canyon in Bay Park, under the stars. It is always a night to remember.
Let us know where we can get tickets if so.
Because it’s a Speakeasy, the venue is not revealed until the day of the performance. Contacting Meshell Zwicker meshell@firestartermovement.com Subject “Bri Schillings” for reservations & more information.
What else can we expect in late 2023?
I will be wrapping up the first year of my two year project, releasing one single a month. October marks a full year, 12 singles. In November and December, I will be releasing two Albums. The first Album will be all the singles that have been released this past year. The second Album will be Remixes of all the songs. I am so proud of my team and all the songs completed and released this year and I look forward to another year of releasing great music!
Where do you see yourself now in 5 Years?
I see myself living by a river, either in Oregon or Colorado, writing music, collaborating with Artists, touring the world, travelling with my amazing partner and our dog Shadow and being grateful for this musical journey and the songs that will be shared for lifetimes to come.
What quote or saying do you always stick by?
“It’s not just what you’re born with, it’s what you choose to be,
It’s not what you’ve been given, it’s what you do with what you’ve got”
When you are at a gig, what are 5 things you cannot forget?
- Guitar
- Keyboard (if a piano is not provided)
- Essential Oils-rosemary,vetiver
- Guitar tuner/Capo
- Playful, creative attitude
Do you have social media accounts so your fans can follow you?
Instagram
TikTok
